It may be hell for drivers and home-owners, but the heavy snow experienced this winter has made for excellent skiing conditions at the Tawatinaw Valley Alpine Nordic Centre.
The ski hill, located north east of Westlock and spread out over 140 acres, officially opened for the 2012-2013 skiing season on Dec. 15.
Though he was busy for most of it, manager Perry Prazak said the opening day went very well, with over 150 skiers hitting the slopes that day.
“I think (opening day) went good,” he said. “Everybody said the snow was good and it was a nice sunny day.”
Prazak said the natural snow conditions are excellent and all the runs where they don’t make snow are in great shape.
He noted they still use manmade snow for the hill’s terrain park, which features all of Tawatinaw Valley’s hits, rails, funboxes and their superpipe, which is one of only two in Alberta.
In fact, snow conditions were so good that this year marked the first time that the cross-country skiing trails have been open on their first weekend. Tawatinaw Valley boasts over 25 kilometres of scenic cross-country ski hills.
Many skiers took advantage of the open cross-country skiing trails on the opening weekend.
“They’re in very good shape,” Prazak added.
Last February, the Tawatinaw Valley ski hill played host to the freestyle skiing event from the Alberta Winter Games.
This year, he noted, they have a special club competition planned for the first week of March which will bring different freestyle skiing groups from all over Alberta for moguls, slope style (the terrain park) and the ski hill’s superpipe.
Also, the Family Day cardboard races will be making a comeback as per usual on Monday, Feb. 18. This event pits teams of sledders going down the hill on special hand-made cardboard sleds, which proves to be a fun draw for many children.
As well, there will be the annual Tawatinaw Valley Loppet, which is always held prior to the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival. This year, the festival falls on the Feb. 8-9 weekend.
Although they will take a break on Christmas and New Year’s Day, the entire ski hill will be open from Dec. 26-30 and Jan. 2-6.
From then on until the end of the season, Tawatinaw Valley opens on weekends and holidays.
Admission for adults is $28 for a full day, $24 for a half-day and $5 to use to the cross-country trails. For youth under the age of 17, admission is $22 for a full day, $18 for a half day and $5 for cross-country. Children under four get in free.
Established in 1967, the ski centre is regarded as one of the best lowland ski hills in Alberta.
For more information on the Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill, potential skiers can visit the website at: www.skitawatinawvalley.com.
